Thomas CAMPBELL-BENNETT

Thomas CAMPBELL-BENNETT
1858
1948

Thomas Campbell Bennett was born on 17th January 1858 at Enville, Staffordshire. His father was the village schoolmaster. He showed early talent as an artist and by 1881 while still living at the family home in Enville he is recorded as an artist. He exhibited at RSA Birmingham from 1882 until 1906. In 1882 his address is given as Stourbridge but by 1887 he was exhibiting from Tavistock, Devon where he came into contact with the Devon artists, Widgery, Pike and Ager. He married Eliza Mary Dudley in 1886 in Staffordshire and by 1888 they had moved to Cornwall and bought Hingston House at St Ann's Chapel near Gunnislake.

Besides being a prolific painter he was also a teacher of art at a Launceston school. His wife died in 1903 and he continued to live at Hingston House until 1923 with his daughter, Margorie. After she married Edmund Palmer, the son of a farmer at Colcharton, Tavistock in 1922, Hingston House was sold and he went to live with them at Bideford. Many of his paintings from that time are of Colcharton Farm. He became a founder member of the Westward Ho! Art Club, Bideford, Devon and was a well known figure in the town. He died aged 90 on 7th October 1948 and was buried in the churchyard at St Ann's Chapel.

media

Painter, teacher of art

works and access

A collection of his work including four sketchbooks were sold by David Lay Auctions, Penzance in 2008

memberships

Westward Ho! Art Club, Bideford, Devon

references

www.antique-fine-art.com;

GRO Death Index

Hardie (2009) Artists in Newlyn and West Cornwall (p317)

The Year's Art 1894-1902

Internet Search via Google